Locomotive-coupling.



W. D. TARDIF.

LOCOMOTIVE COUPLING.

1,007,818. 1m Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

2 $HEETSSHEET 1.

W. D. TARDIP.

LOCOMOTIVE COUPLING.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 19, 1910.

1,007,818, Patented N0v.7,1911.

HEET 2v 2 SHEETSS WILLIAM D. TARDIF, OF STANFORD, KENTUCKY.

LOCOMOTIVE-COUPLING.

Application filed September 19, 1910.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

Serial No. 582,788.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. TARDIF, a citizen of the United States,residing at Stanford, in the county of Lincoln and State of Kentuckyhave invented certain new and useful Improvements inLocomotive-Couplers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in locomotive couplers.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanismwhereby a locomotive may be uncoupled by the engineer or fireman in thecab when an accident or other cause makes the separation of the enginefrom the train desirable.

lVith this and other objects in view the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts aswill be more fully described and particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of my improvedcoupler showing an ordinary car coupler operatively engaged therewith;Fig. 2 is a horizontal sec-v tional view of the same; Fig. 3 is asimilar view showing the locking mechanism of the locomotive coupler ina retracted or released position to permit the release or separation ofthe car coupler; Fig. 4; is a central vertical longitudinal section withthe locking mechanism of the locomotive coupler in retracted or releasedposition; Fig. 5 is a cross section of the locomotive coupler on theline 55 of Fig. 4:; Fig. 6 is a bottom plan View of the upper section ofthe locomotive coupler; Fig. 7 is a detail view of the locking plate,with its operating shaft and the lever of the locomotive coupler; Fig. 8is a side view of parts 18, 19 and 20.

Referring more particularly to the drawings 1 denotes my improvedlocomotive or engine coupler which is of the J anney type except the jaw2 is fixed. The coupler 1 comprises a body portion formed in upper andlower sections 3 and 4 which are bolted or otherwise suitably securedtogether. In the upper and lower sections 3 and 1 are formed alinedlongitudinal grooves which form a passage 5 extending through the bodyof the coupler. In the groove of the upper section 3 is formed alongitudinal recess 6 and a transverse or right angular recess 7. In theopening of the head of the coupler which receives the jaw of the carcoupler is formed a vertical recess 8 with which the outer end of thepassage 5 communicates. In the passage 5 is arranged a rock shaft 9 onthe outer end of which is pivotally mounted a locking plate 10 thepurpose of which will be hereinafter described. On the shaft 9 oppositethe recesses 6 and 7 of the passage 5 is formed a locking lug 11 whichwhen the shaft 9 and plate 10 are in a retracted or inoperative positionis adapted to engage the recess 6 and which when the shaft and plate arein a projected.or operative position is adapted to engage the recess 7whereby said parts are held or locked in this position.

The coupler 1 is preferably arranged at the outer end of the engine orlocomotive tender and the rock shaft 9 is adapted to extend beneath thetender to the inner end thereof. On the end of the shaft at the innerend of the tender and projecting upwardly within reach of the engineeror fireman is an operating lever 12 whereby said shaft may be projectedand retracted to project and retract the locking plate 10 and wherebythe shaft may be rocked to engage the lug 11 with the right angularrecess 7 to lock the shaft and plate 11 in an operative position.

When coupling the engine and tender to a train, the pivoted jaw 13 ofthe ordinary coupler 14 carried by the car which is to be coupled to thetender, is engaged with the head of the coupling 1 in the usual manner,and when so engaged the pivoted jaw 13 will be locked to prevent thedisengagement of the coupling and uncoupling of the car by the lockingplate 10 which is projected into engagement with the aw 13 and locked insuch projected position by the rock shaft 9 and lug 11 in the mannerdescribed.

When it is desired to uncouple the engine and tender it is simplynecessary to swing the lever 12 upwardly which operation will rock theshaft 9 and thus disengage the lug 11 from the locking recess 7 andpermit the shaft and locking plate 10 to retract whereupon the pivotedjaw 13 of the car coupler 14 is permitted to open and thus cause theuncoupling of the engine and tender from the train.

In order to prevent the knuckle tail 15 of the pivoted jaw 13 of the carcoupler 14:

from being locked by its locking pin 16 I provide a pin supporting plate18 which is split to provide the divergent recessed fingers 19 adaptedto engage the pin 16 below its head as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.The plate 18 is attached to the coupler 1 by a short chain 20 or similarattaching device and will rest upon the upper side of the coupleddraw-head to engage under an annular shoulder on the locking pin 16 orunder the end of the pin, as will be readily understood. After thelocomotive is coupled to the car, the locking pin 16 is raised to aninoperative position and engaged by the fingers 19 to be held in thatposition. Should it be necessary to separate the engine from the train,the engineer or fireman raises the lever 12 and draws the rock-shaftforward -uncoupling of the draw-heads.

so that the locking plate 10 will be released from the pivoted jaw 13,whereupon, if the engine be driven forward, said jaw will swing aroundon its pivot and permit the The plate 18 will, of course, be drawnforward with the coupling member attached to the locomotive or thetender but will engage the pin 16 long enough to prevent it fromdropping into its normal locking position until after uncoupling iseffected.

By means of an engine or locomotive coupler constructed in accordancewith my invention it will be readily seen that the locomotive and tendermay be quickly and and the minor details of construction may be resortedto without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of theadvantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

Y 1. A locomotive coupler comprising a draw-head having a fixed jaw witha transversely extending outer portion forming a recess adapted toreceive the pivoted jaw of an engaging car coupler, a locking platearranged in the said draw-head and adapted to bear against said pivotedjaw to hold the same against the fixed jaw of the locomotive coupler, alongitudinally movable rod mounted in the draw-head and connected tosaid plate to move the sanie from and toward the pivoted jaw, and meansto lock said rod in its projected position.

2. A loco-motive coupler comprising a draw-head having a fixed jaw witha transversely extending outer portion forming a recess adapted toreceive the pivoted jaw of an engaging car coupler, said draw-headhaving a central longitudinal passage and a locking recess at rightangles thereto, a rockshaft slidably mounted in said passage, 3.

locking plate pivotally connected to the outer end of said shaft andadapted to be projected thereby into engagement with said pivoted jaw tohold the same against the fixed jaw, a lug on said rock-shaft adaptedto-engage said locking recess to hold the rock-shaft againstlongitudinal movement, an operating lever on said shaft, and meansconnected to the draw-head to hold the jaw locking pin of the engagingcar coupler in an inoperative position.

3. A locomotive coupler comprising a draw-head having a fixed jaw with atransversely extending outer portion forming a recess adapted to receivethe pivoted jaw of an engaging car-coupler, said draw-head having acentral longitudinal passage and a locking recess at a right anglethereto, a rock-shaft slidably mounted in said passage,

a locking plate pivotally connected to the outer end of said shaft andadapted to be projected thereby into engagement with said pivoted jaw tohold the same against the fixed jaw, a lug on said rock-shaft adapted toengage said locking recess to hold the rock-shaft against longitudinalmovement, and means for operating the rock-shaft.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM D. TARDIF.

Witnesses:

J. W. ROCHESTER, THOS. P. BRIGHT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

